


Not a Girl Thing

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Canon Het Relationship, Community: mcsheplets, Community: trope_bingo, F/M, Genderswap, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-09
Updated: 2013-02-09
Packaged: 2017-11-28 17:20:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/676944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rodney ends up female, the timing could not have been more perfect for making him realize a few truths about himself and his feelings towards Jennifer... and towards John.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not a Girl Thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raphe1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raphe1/gifts).



> Written for **mcsheplets** prompt #143 Pink and **trope_bingo** Genderswap  
>  **Sixth in a series of gifts for the wonderful RAPHE1**.

"Just because I'm now...female, it doesn't mean I suddenly have an affinity for the color pink," Rodney declared angrily as he held up the pink pajama bottoms and t-shirt.

Jennifer winced. "I thought it would go well with your eyes. Baby pink and baby blues?"

She winced again when Rodney glared, almost grateful that losing his masculinity hadn't diminished his ability to cower his minions. Except Jennifer wasn't a minion. She was his girlfriend; the woman he had intended to propose to that very evening over a romantic dinner out on the south pier.

Until a few hours ago, he'd had the entire event planned out in meticulous detail, right down to the second where he offered up the ring and popped the cork from a reasonably expensive Champagne bottle when she said, Yes. Admittedly, the engagement ring might not be the right size because he hadn't been able to steal one of Jennifer's from her dresser to get an idea on sizing, but at least it was still pristine in its box. His engagement to Katie hadn't lasted more than an hour - if that. Hardly enough time to get the ring resized to fit Katie's wedding finger, and no matter what John said, it wasn't crass to offer up a perfectly good engagement ring to more than one woman.

"Pink? Do you know me at all?"

"Well obviously I don't, Rodney," she stated angrily, arms crossed over her chest, "Maybe I never did, and maybe I don't want to anymore."

When Rodney tried to mirror her posture, he realized he had breasts where his arms would usually lie. While he was trying to figure out how and where to place his crossed arms, Jennifer walked away with a last exaggerated huff of annoyance and disbelief. He bowed his head in defeat when he realized she had expected something from him - some appeasement or apology.

He let his arms drop to his sides as the door closed behind her. This really wasn't the way this evening was supposed to go, reminding him of how he had crashed and burned with Katie on the day he asked her to marry him. It was like some cosmic sick joke.

He looked up and caught sight of himself in the full-length mirror, spending several minutes trying to reconcile the woman reflected back at him with the man inside his head. He looked like his sister. His eyes flicked to the door as it opened, and he was relieved when John stepped in rather than Jennifer.

"I look like Jeannie," he stated solemnly.

"You look... good."

Rodney spun on his heel and pointed at John. "AHA! I knew you couldn't be trusted around my sister. She's a married woman."

John held up both hands, recalling that first meeting with Jeannie several years ago, and Rodney's over protective, big brother attitude towards anyone even glancing at Jeannie sideways.

"First, I'm not interested in your sister, and second, she's not even here."

"Yes... well. Just remember to keep your flyboy hands to yourself."

Rodney saw a smirk lift the corners of John's mouth, and those eyebrows lifted and wriggled a little as John reached out for the clothing on the bed. "Pink PJs? I thought you hated pink. Is it a... girl thing?" he teased.

Narrowing his eyes, Rodney snatched the PJs out of John's hand.

"I don't hate pink. I just prefer not to wear it except under duress. Extreme duress."

John gave a carefree shrug.

"Date still on for tonight?" he asked nonchalantly, though Rodney noticed how John's casual words belied the tension in his body.

Although John had never said it outright, Rodney knew he wasn't too keen on Jennifer. He hadn't been that keen on Katie either, making offhand comments about compatibility, botany and worthiness at the time. If Rodney hadn't known better then he might even have suspected John of causing the quarantine that effectively ended his relationship with Katie.

"I... No."

"I thought tonight was the night when you... You know?"

Despite enjoying John's awkwardness when discussing anything even remotely connected to feelings, Rodney gave him the, ' _Are you really this stupid?_ ' look. He spread out his arms to invite John to take a good, long look at the curvaceous female body that did look entirely too much like his sister for Rodney's own peace of mind, right down to the full breasts. He winced in disgust as he really, REALLY didn't want to think about his sister and breasts in the same thought.

John rubbed the back of his neck in that familiar, awkward gesture.

"Yeah. I see your point." John shrugged. "Doesn't mean you can't enjoy the evening anyway."

"Yes, well I don't think Jennifer wants to be with me right now. We had an argument over..." he waved at the pink PJs.

"What?"

"I-think-we-might-have-split-up," came out in a rush.

"Because of pink PJs?"

Rodney didn't know how to answer that, knowing the pink problem had just been the tip of an iceberg large enough to sink Atlantis. Looking around his quarters so he could avoid looking at John, he spied the picnic basket, blanket and bottle cooler standing in the corner, waiting to be used on what should have been a special occasion. Rodney indicated towards it as he thought of all his favorite foods inside it.

"Seems a shame to waste it."

"I've got some beer back in my quarters.. if you want...?"

Rodney sighed and nodded, surprised when John reached down to pick up the basket.

"Hey, I can carry... I'm not a girl, Sheppard." He saw John raise an eyebrow. "Okay. Fine. I am a girl... temporarily... but I can still carry-."

John set the basket down. "Force of habit," he muttered and stooped to pick up the blanket instead. "I'll go get the beer and meet you out on the south pier."

They arrived at the same time and Rodney watched as John chose a perfect spot that afforded a great view of the city but also gave them privacy should anyone just happen by. Rodney wondered if John had taken others to this spot, recalling that first year with Chaya, but swiftly dismissed the feelings of jealousy. Just because he was now a girl, it didn't mean they were on a date. They were just two good friends sharing a meal and commiserating over the appalling state of Rodney's sex life... again.

An hour later, pleasantly full and a little drunk, Rodney leaned back on his elbows and surveyed the night sky. Both of the moons had risen, casting odd shadows around them, and the city looked beautiful all lit up against a backdrop of stars and distant galaxies.

"This was a good idea," he murmured, no longer startled by the higher pitch of his voice and slightly more comfortable in his altered body. He looked across and caught John staring at him, a little bemused by his expression until John leaned over and kissed him. Yet what shocked Rodney most was that, for several seconds, he responded to that kiss as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be kissed by his best friend.

Rodney pulled back sharply. "Uh. What are we doing?"

John looked equally embarrassed. "I... don't know." He cleared his throat. "It's not the girl thing," he exclaimed.

"Really? Because I haven't noticed you wanting to kiss me before I..." He waved at his body and noticed John's flush deepen. "Oh my god. You have wanted to kiss me before."

"I'm... sorry."

"No!" Rodney held up a finger. "You don't get to apologize. Tomorrow I fully expect to have a penis again, and then we will talk about this."

"Okay." John started to rise and Rodney grabbed his arm.

"What? Where are you going?"

"I figured you'd rather I-" He hooked a thumb towards the city.

"And ruin a perfectly good opportunity to experiment?"

"What?" John exclaimed softly.

"I'm a girl, Sheppard! For one night, I have a girl's body, and it's _my_ body, not some body swap with dubious consent issues. Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to...? Multiple orgasms, Sheppard!"

"What about Jennifer?"

"I..." 

Rodney felt shocked until a sudden calm came over him with the realization that he had already forgotten all about Jennifer. He blinked in surprise, aware that John had always come first in this thoughts even when he was with Katie, let alone with Jennifer. It was a strange Epiphany to have at his age, and especially on the day he was planning to propose marriage to Jennifer, and he wondered how long he had hid this from himself. It was so clear now, and as he looked back over his time on Atlantis, he could see how many times he had unconsciously sabotaged his sexual relationships with others just so he could spend more time with John. John was the first person he ran to when in trouble, or when he'd discovered something new that he wanted to share. John was the first person he called when they had his favorite meals or desserts, or when the mess hall served John's favorites.

He frowned. He didn't even know what was Jennifer's favorite food, and yet he now noticed that the picnic basket was filled with his and John's favorites, including those strange biscuits that Jennifer.... That Jennifer hated.

He looked down at his changed body and tried to imagine Jennifer touching him, and it was all wrong. Yet the thought of John touching him was perfection no matter if he was male or female, and no matter if John was male or female.

"I can't imagine sharing this with anyone but you. I don't think I ever have," he added softly.

This time he drew John down into a kiss, and though the first time hurt because, yes, he should have realized his female body would be virgin, the second time was amazing. Neither of them knew his body so they explored together, snatching quiet naps in between until the moons set and the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn.

***

Late that next evening, Rodney touched the chime for John's quarters, nervously wringing his hands together as he waited for John to open the door. The tender smile that curved John's lips and danced in his eyes as John drew him inside took away the last of Rodney's doubts that it had been only a girl thing. John locked the door behind them and kissed Rodney, his familiar hands mapping Rodney's male body, and leaving them with a whole new world to explore together.

END


End file.
